When you hear the media talk about the health care crisis, it’s typically in relation to access or the cost of health care insurance.
But there’s a real crisis in health care that hasn’t become a huge national media topic:
shortage of health care workers
If you hear anything at all, it will be about the shortage of nurses which will continue through the year 2025. In addition, the average age of nurses is now over 50.
However, a bigger shortage among direct care staff will be the critical blow to quality health care, and there aren’t many good solutions.
Earlier this month I convened a round-table discussion of long term care leaders in Washington, DC at the American Health Care Association’s Congressional Briefing to discuss their biggest challenges. Overwhelmingly – actually 100% – the biggest challenge is workforce. The shortage in nurses and direct care staff is reaching a critical point. I hope it isn’t a breaking point.
A big push from industry leaders and government is to improve and increase the quality of health care. Absolutely the right goal to have. However, it takes trained, skilled, dedicated and rested staff to interact with patients and to be able to make quality decisions for their care.
Negative impact of the crisis
Federal and state minimum staffing requirements have forced health care providers to work their staff longer hours and longer stretches without time off in order to meet the requirements. They can at least check the box for minimum staffing, but tired and overworked staff can have a negative impact on care with increased rates of infection, increased medication errors, and neglect of the patient.
The financial impact to health care providers and facilities is also on the rise with increased levels of overtime and other staffing costs. Use of agency nurses and certified nursing assistants has flat-lined the already strangled bottom line of many providers resulting in an increase in bankruptcy filings and consolidation.
With national unemployment at 3.8% in May 2018 tied for the lowest level since 1969, and there being more open jobs than eligible workers, the existing workforce shortage in health care is going to continue and probably get worse.
All of the round-table participants expressed frustration and were looking for some solutions. There are a few innovative practices being implemented by some in order to support the staff they have. But an obvious solution would be to increase the Medicaid and Medicare funding for direct care staff and nurses.
Staff in the cross-hairs of the crisis
One of the participants asked the question, “How do you help a direct care staff making $10 an hour who is married with three kids who is struggling to pay for housing, food and transportation?” The wage rate paid is based on the dollars paid by Medicaid and Medicare, and with increasing requirements for more quality and the implementation of more quality indicators that need to be tracked by staff who don’t provide any direct care, it is the direct care staff who suffer. And they’re the ones who are actually providing the care and support to your loved ones.
Are the answers easy? No, they’re not. Do we need to find answers? Yes, we do.
It’s imperative the industry begin talking about solutions to this crisis. We’ve all seen the impact of this crisis in more fines, penalties and lawsuits. There are some obvious solutions, but are we willing to implement them in order to give the kind of care and services our parents, grandparents and disabled deserve?
I’m ready to start talking…are you?
Leave a comment. And if you want to be part of the conversation to find solutions, send me an email to mark@thesuccessgrower.com.